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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339835">A flower in the study</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightheadeddelirium/pseuds/Lightheadeddelirium'>Lightheadeddelirium</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>the GazettE (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Fluff, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion &amp; Lore), M/M, Romance, a lot of fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:20:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,030</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24339835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lightheadeddelirium/pseuds/Lightheadeddelirium</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aoi doesn’t like tending to the fields or preparing for harvest like his mother, Ceres. One day, he finds shelter in a cave, and stumbles upon the library of the Underworld, where he begins an unlikely friendship with the unfeeling Uruha.</p><p>Inspired by the myth of Persephone and Hades. The actual myth is a lot more problematic, but in this case both are willing and consenting parties; this won’t be too accurate to the original story anyway, so yeah. </p><p>Written for the DW community vkyaoi’s May challenge, Inspired by Mythology &amp; Lore.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aoi/Uruha (the GazettE)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>VK Yaoi 2020 Challenges</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A flower in the study</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was the story behind the birth of seasons.<br/><br/>There are some differences in how the myth was interpreted, but most versions agree that six pomegranate seeds later, the poor Persephone would weep as she found herself bound six months to the Underworld, to Hades, before Persephone would reunite with Ceres in the first half of the year.<br/><br/>This explains the decay that began with the colours of autumn,  which was followed by the lifeless snow, Ceres’ grief filling the land as her daughter returned to the Underworld.</p><p><br/>Persephone must be grieving too. </p><p>Except in this particular retelling...she, or rather, he was not. </p><p>-----------</p><p>Aoi was upset. For one, he hated being in the fields. It was warm and mucky. He much preferred the cool waters at the river, and would spend time running towards the town or the sea, where the view was different and refreshing.</p><p>His mother wasn't happy. "You were born to be running amongst the fields," she nagged, as she sowed seeds into the fertile soil.  She could never tear herself away from her roots as a farmer, despite being able to grow a hundred trees with a wave of her hand.  </p><p>Aoi, her son,  was her pride and glory. However, he was too bright, too fast. The old ways of continuous harvesting proved boring to him, and he preferred creating fields of flowers in a flash, bringing pleasure and happiness to the human beings who found joy in his creations.<br/><br/>Aoi was very much a man, but also greatly blessed with the charms and gentleness of a daughter. He had long black hair and pursed lips. He was playful and adventurous even as a young boy. The only difference between him and the rest of his friends was that he would fight and wrestle with the boys, only to then dust himself off to help the seamstresses make pretty clothes fit for the gods. But he had little interest in what he was born for, which greatly pained Ceres. </p><p>After all, Aoi was the son of the harvest, of the flowers and the grain. She wanted nothing more than her son to finally hone his craft of the earth, and guide the humans in it too.</p><p>Such was Aoi’s nature, that led to this one faithful day. </p><p>Ceres had called down the rain, and Aoi had scampered towards a nearby cave. It was a particularly heavy shower, and Aoi had gone in far enough to spot an entrance deep into the cavern, which piqued his curiosity.<br/><br/>The young man decided to take a closer look. He could feel that the air was different, for it felt cold, stale, <em> lifeless </em> , nothing like that of the fresh morning breeze nor the humid afternoons.<br/><br/>This must be another world altogether. The Underworld, specifically, where the dearly departed went and awaited judgement.<br/><br/>The entrance wasn’t guarded; the three-headed guard dog, Cerberus was nowhere to be found.<br/><br/>Strange. Perhaps some being carved out this entrance to allow them easy access into this world?<br/><br/>Aoi made his way inside, wondering what part of the Underworld he had stumbled upon. Further inspection revealed to Aoi that he had probably walked into some form of library or archive.<br/><br/>It was like those old museums and buildings which were made with marble, with different shades of grey forming rivers and veins through the surfaces and ceilings.<br/><br/>Grand, but morose. It was every bit solemn, with books holding years and years of knowledge, and a dizzying array of strange tools, beakers and other strange, sterile apparatus.<br/><br/>So exciting it was, Aoi happily began searching through the tomes and apothecary jars for interesting things he had never seen in the flower fields. </p><p><br/>He pulled an ancient-looking book from the shelf, with great effort. These were untouched for decades, or perhaps it had never been touched at all.  When Aoi finally pried it free from the shelf, it shook off a copious amount of dust, which tickled Aoi’s nose, as if protesting against years of its inertia.<br/><br/>The young man opened the book, pouring over the pages that were full of unfamiliar diagrams and words. He was not understanding much of it, but he studied it with full interest, trying to digest the information that appeared as alien to him as he was to this world.<br/><br/></p><p>He read out a paragraph, pacing slowly around the room, absorbed in strange text. So engrossed was he, he did not sense a shadow-like figure hovering in, silent as night, tapping on Aoi’s shoulder lightly.<br/><br/>It felt so startlingly cold. It was like touching ice. Aoi had only known the coolness of the sea but had never known such a sharp, intruding sensation, it was almost painful, and it shocked him.<br/><br/>Aoi dropped the book. “Ow!” he shouted, turning to face whoever, whatever (never know what’s below anyway) decided to creep up on him, wanting to give the intruder a piece of his mind.<br/><br/></p><p>"You could have just told me that -"</p><p><br/>Aoi froze.</p><p> </p><p>Oh no.</p><p> </p><p>Aoi had never seen him before, but the sheer presence that filled the room meant that the man before him was undeniably Uruha, the lord of the Underworld. Many times the son of the harvest had been warned about crossing his path. This was, after all, not Aoi’s realm.<br/><br/>He immediately bowed to Uruha</p><p> </p><p>"I'm... So sorry," he said, trying to sound as calm as possible despite his bones rattling with fear inside of him.</p><p><br/><br/>So stupid, Aoi! How could you yell at him! Aoi berated himself internally.</p><p><br/><br/>"You must be Lord Uruha. I... I Was taking shelter from the rain and I stumbled upon here." He said, trying to keep his tone light and cheery, hoping that his natural charms would somehow shield him from whatever trouble he might have gotten into, trespassing into the Underworld. </p><p> </p><p>Uruha didn't respond. Even the heaviest rain wouldn't have led the pale one here by accident. Perhaps his guard dog was sleeping on the job, but anyone - god, or a god’s child - should know better than to come down here without any official business at hand.<br/><br/>Aoi felt scared, regretting a little having not heeded the advice of his mother to not stray too far away from the fields.<br/><br/>But at the same time, meeting someone like this, of this demeanour, of this world, made him curious about Uruha.</p><p><br/>He tried to look up, facing the towering Uruha, who was quietly looking back at Aoi with an icy glare.</p><p><br/>The Underworld’s ruler….was not like what they said in myths.<br/><br/></p><p>He had mostly expected most gods to be serious and old, let alone that of the underworld’s ruler.<br/><br/><br/>According to the stories he was told as a child, Uruha sounded like a grim and wrinkled old man, weather-beaten by the lost souls and death he would see, But no. This Uruha was <em>beautiful</em>, with skin and lips much like that of a handsome, youthful man, not too much older than Aoi.<br/><br/>There was no sign of death that lingered on his face, except for the shadows that fell on his eyes and crept around his body like living smoke.<br/><br/>Uruha wasn’t like anyone Aoi knew. Not the seamstresses he helped out, nor the few human men and women, adults around twenty years of age like him.<br/><br/>The inhabitants of his realm relished in the sun, fruit and grain, and Uruha was exactly opposite of that.</p><p>A wave of a hand roused Aoi from his thoughts, as he saw Uruha mumble something. Before he knew it, he was already back onto the grassy plains, the mud soaking his feet from the rain his mother had called for.</p><p>He ran back, as fast as he could, to where his mother was.</p><p> </p><p>----------- </p><p> </p><p>Aoi never told his mum about the encounter. For one, she would never let Aoi out ever again, knowing that her son had somehow troubled the one god that looked after the dead.<br/><br/>The next few days saw the young man spending his time dutifully tending to the soil and preparing for the inevitable harvest - which happened very quickly at that time. </p><p>Ceres was surprised by his son's sudden attention to her work, but very glad.</p><p>"You are indeed becoming a child of the harvest. You are going to do so much good work for the people." She beamed.</p><p>Aoi nodded quietly. Frankly, the only reason why he was doing this was not to make his mother happy, but to attempt to run away from thoughts of the Underworld's lord, the beautiful man who spoke nothing to him, yet remained in his thoughts. </p><p>No matter how many seeds he planted, the thought of Uruha sank deeply into his mind, like the roots of a hundred-year tree.<br/><br/>Even when he was playing and chatting with his friends and acquaintances, he couldn’t help but observe that the softest chuckles and whispered teases were probably a dozen decibels higher than the loudest sound in the Uruha's Underworld.</p><p>Why do I keep thinking of him? Aoi sighed, as the boys and girls - his human friends - went back home with their lovers and friends, and Aoi walked alone in the lavender fields that his mother had tended to in the day.</p><p>Ceres was fast asleep. She had to be, for this was hard work that tired even her immortal body, and she too wanted to rise early enough for the crops.</p><p>It was then Aoi had an idea. He could possibly take this time to find Uruha again. Since the night was still early, he could spend an hour or two, before hurrying back home to sleep, without his mother suspecting a thing.<br/><br/>He carefully retraced his steps, hurrying down to the cave that he took shelter in, looking for the entrance back into the Underworld’s dusty old library.</p><p><br/>Cerebus, the three-headed guard dog had since been redeployed there, and obviously smelled the life in Aoi.<br/><br/>But Aoi smelled of flowers, and had gentle warmth that the demon dog had not seen in anyone since he was a mere puppy. <br/><br/>The dog faltered, and Aoi heaved a sigh of relief. To ensure Cerebus wouldn’t suddenly realise what he had done, Aoi waved a hand, and little flowers grew around the ground he stood in, with a soothing scent that quickly neutralised any of the dog's instincts to alert his unfeeling owner.</p><p>The night was eternal here, but fires were lit around the necessary areas as if someone else would come here.<br/><br/>Of course not. No one in their right alive mind would think of visiting the Underworld’s library.<br/><br/>No one would think of illuminating the place, for even if the necessary personnel had to come in, they would have their own source of light, or were able to see in the night.<br/><br/>Maybe Uruha also liked the convenience of lights placed around the area? Or was it for ambience? A recollection from his human life?<br/><br/>“Who knows, maybe he’s a bit of a romantic.” Aoi chuckled to himself, his bare feet gently creeping around the place.</p><p>Shelves after shelves lead to a door left ajar, and Aoi caught sight of something he never imagined he would see.</p><p>Uruha, quietly reading in his study. His back was facing Aoi, and he sat upon a stool that didn’t look awfully comfortable. An invisible light source glowed orange above him, and he flipped through a dusty-looking book. </p><p>This was his habit after the day's quota of souls had been sent off.</p><p>The downtime allowed him to hone whatever knowledge he had left to cover. Or well, that was the excuse.<br/><br/>Uruha was notorious in his need for "alone time". He always liked being alone, anyway.<br/><br/>No one tried to figure him out, ask him for orders, no soul too powerful to try to complain about beating the system.</p><p>No hellfire, souls too young to return here...souls that would rather wait an eternity before taking the boat over, just to wait for a loved one.</p><p>He had a pair of glasses on, too. Glasses that served no use in correcting perfect vision, and he was reading books he had already digested and regurgitated over eons ago.</p><p><br/>“Ridiculous,” Uruha thought to himself. It was a word he always used to describe human habits that technically he had no use for, but held on like a child's favourite toy. </p><p>Was it to remind him that he was alive, once? </p><p>That he wasn't accountable for this for all eternity?</p><p>He let out a sigh, which sounded like the crinkling of old, yellowed notes. But Aoi could hear something in it. Something which told him that Uruha was bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders, something that told him that this was a sacred moment, one privy to only Uruha himself; the Underworld's ruler was weary.</p><p>He could see Uruha’s hands were grey, in contrast with his face which made him think that Uruha was somehow alive in some aspects, but very, very dead in others.<br/><br/>Draped in cloths that melded with shadows, Aoi was transfixed by Uruha’s contrasting parts, quickly forgetting his initial fears about him. </p><p> </p><p>A crack.</p><p> </p><p>Uruha straightened up. His glasses disappeared. He flew towards the source of the noise, towering in front of Aoi, who felt his body freeze upon Uruha’s chilling stare.<br/><br/>Aoi cursed internally. He had not seen where he was walking, and realised that a particularly crumbly rock had given away his presence.</p><p>Now his fears about Uruha flooded right back into his heart, which had since felt like it dropped into the pit of his stomach.<br/><br/>And here the son of the harvest was, face to face with the towering man, shadows swirling with a mood that Aoi couldn’t understand.</p><p>"Why are you here again?" Uruha finally spoke, his voice firm and booming, with a tinge of annoyance.</p><p>Aoi shuddered and bowed.</p><p>"P-please forgive me Lord Uruha!"</p><p>Stay calm, Aoi thought. The Lord of the Underworld surely is open to reason.</p><p>"....I was curious about you. I saw you the other day and we.."</p><p>Uruha's gaze, however, was obliterating all thought. He was like a towering shadow, and Aoi was shaking, despite desperately trying to hold himself together. He could see the black tendrils that were swirling and crawling on the ground, humming with an energy that threatened to expand, and envelope Aoi whole.</p><p>Then, all was calm.</p><p>"You wanted to know more about me," Uruha spoke, his tone unreflective of any emotion now.<br/><br/>"You saw me that day, and you wanted to know more about this place, and who I am. Your mother is asleep, and you thought it would be a good chance to do so without causing major suspicion, arising from your curiosity about me."</p><p>Aoi looked at him and nodded. He must have been too obvious, too easy to read compared to those dense and complex tomes.<br/><br/>He felt a little calmer now that he knew Uruha somehow read all his intentions, and at least was conveying to him that he understood Aoi meant no harm. Or so Aoi hoped.</p><p>Uruha frowned, causing the younger man to panic. Gosh, Aoi did really screw up this time, just because he just had to go and find Uruha again.<br/><br/>But yet, Uruha was as daunting as he was beautiful, despite governing such a world. Aoi could almost feel a silver of warmth from him, waiting to be acknowledged.</p><p>Aoi stepped closer.</p><p>"Lord Uruha...I'm sorry to have disturbed you at this time. It must be your precious alone time and all I did was to ruin it."</p><p>Uruha looked at him. </p><p>"You do know where you are." He said, turning to close the books he was studying. </p><p>"This is the realm of the dead, and you have your duties as Ceres' child. If you consume anything here you will be trapped, in exchange for the life-giving energy that you may accidentally transfer. That is extremely unacceptable, you do understand that, right?"</p><p>Aoi nodded meekly. He did not need another god to nag him about this, a warning that was conveyed to him through stories as a child, something he knew like the back of his hand, but yet here he was, purposely trying to find out more about this forbidden place.</p><p><br/>The feeling of shame burned on his cheeks. Uruha probably wasn't all that welcoming of him.</p><p>He bowed and uttered an apology again, thinking of quietly leaving the study, and its sole inhabitant alone. </p><p>It was then Uruha hovered to his side.</p><p>"I will lead you out. It's dangerous to go alone."</p><p>Aoi blinked, looking up to the Uruha, who already had the soft orange light following them like a formless lantern. Certainly Uruha had no need for it, but he probably summoned it with them, so that Aoi could see the way forward. A small smile crept up Aoi's face. Uruha cared.</p><p>"What's so funny?" Uruha asked.</p><p>"Oh..no no, I'm not laughing at you," Aoi chuckled. "I'm...just surprised how warm the Lord of the Underworld is."</p><p>Uruha didn't respond, but led Aoi out safely, into the grass. Aoi turned to bow to him.<br/><br/><br/>"Thank you, Lord Uruha. I'm grateful you didn't tear me apart just because I crept up on you."<br/><br/></p><p>Uruha looked at him briefly before turning away. He was about to head back down.</p><p>“Hey…” Aoi called out.<br/>".....whenever you...don't mind, can I come find you in the study again? I know you were a little annoyed but...."</p><p><em>But I want to see you again</em>, Aoi whispered.<br/><br/>Uruha had magically faded away, and Aoi felt that it must have been a strong no. Until he felt a gust of wind, which carried a soft voice, only as loud as that of pages being turned.</p><p>"......only at this time."</p><p>The younger man smiled a smile that was like the vibrant break of dawn, and hurried home.</p><p><br/>-----------</p><p>The following days Aoi seemed to be more obedient.</p><p>He didn’t run out to the sea, nor grew gardens and gardens worth of flowers alone. Ao was starting to help harvest and sow the seeds alongside his mother.</p><p>The soil still irritated him sometimes, and he grew many flowers and crops with his mother, but beautiful blossoms and plentiful grain couldn't make time go faster. He couldn’t wait for the sun to set, for his mother to head to bed<br/><br/>Aoi’s budding friendship excited him, and it was something he greatly looked forward to cultivating, more than any harvest, more than any field of flowers. </p><p>When night fell and his mum was asleep, he ran quickly to the cave, down where he knew Uruha would wait for him.</p><p>The mysterious, yet oddly alluring lord of the Underworld, who belonged to the night.</p><p> </p><p>-----------</p><p>Dusty volumes of books. Those were things Uruha spent a lifetime with as an academic in a previous life. It was attributed to his downfall too.<br/><br/>He was near a breakthrough. But his family was in tatters. His then-wife couldn't stand Uruha anymore, took his child and left.</p><p>Uruha died, destitute, starved, his wasted body hunched over the books he gave his life for.<br/><br/>The details are murky here, but somehow his soul was taken and he became the Uruha now, shouldering the responsibility of infinite souls who have passed on.</p><p>Why me, he thought. I'm just a poor academic.</p><p>The most probable explanation was that the sorting of souls was as administrative as it was spiritual.<br/><br/>Yes, it is a milestone for humans at the end of their lives, but the information of so many lives, and the sorting of them to their respective ends was a huge, dreadful task.</p><p>And it required somebody who used to sieving, organising, and understanding information from the chaos it was born from.</p><p>So perhaps in that life, his life's work paid off as it groomed him to be the Underworld’s ruler, the grim, long process almost as endless as the scrolls and papers he once poured through as a human being.</p><p>Dying was always the easy part.</p><p>-----------</p><p> </p><p>Adjusting his glasses, he smelled lavender and footsteps. Aoi was here.</p><p>"Lord Uruha?" he said, voice like a gentle spring breeze, happily coming to his side.<br/><br/>They only met twice, but Aoi was starting to be comfortable around Lord Uruha.<br/><br/>Despite his haunting presence and the shadows that swirled around him, Aoi was starting to understand and befriend the Underworld’s ruler. </p><p>"...you're here." Uruha said, matter-of-factly.</p><p>Aoi couldn’t sense if he was happy to know that he had a visitor, but he was already glad as hell that Uruha wasn’t going to snitch about this to his mother.<br/><br/>Imagine that from the Lord of the Underworld.</p><p>Aoi settled beside him, pulling a creaky old stool to settle on. "What are you reading?" He smiled, curious at the book he was looking at.</p><p>Uruha felt self-conscious, memories of an older life coming back. There was nothing beautiful about these old books. They ruined his family, and killed him. Nothing but archaic information that served no purpose-</p><p>"Is that a skeleton?"</p><p>"....Yes. The human one. Quite a complex creature despite how simple they are. " Uruha said.</p><p>He stopped himself short for fear that whatever he said would bore Aoi out. Why was he thinking like this? He would not stop himself from insulting some lackeys that failed to do their job, but yet here he was, wanting to be careful with the way he presented himself to Aoi.</p><p>It was as if he could easily chase Aoi away.</p><p>Aoi leaned in, looking at the diagram. "Was there a reason this needed to be recorded?"</p><p>Patiently, Uruha explained. The medical journals, the research that people made. The sciences, geography, history.</p><p>“Recording these gave the next generations of people an understanding of the advances they have made, and the knowledge they have so far.”</p><p>When it came to agriculture, Aoi huffed. "Why do they wanna study the ground? They have to be at the ground themselves!"</p><p>Aoi froze. For a moment, he was like his mother. Uruha looked at him quizzically, and Aoi let out a sad laugh.</p><p>"As much as I said that, I don't want to be there all the time." He looked at his toes and played with his fingers.</p><p>"It's just the same thing every day. Sow, reap, sow reap, flowers...crops..plants..trees..harvest. It will be like this forever...and ever..."</p><p>Uruha softened. He too understood the pain of being confined to an eternal responsibility.</p><p>The Underworld’s Lord looked sadly at Aoi.</p><p>"Isn't it better when you are surrounded by the living every day, Aoi?"</p><p>Uruha asked, with a softness that was much unlike him.</p><p>Aoi saw an incredible sadness in Uruha’s gaze that he couldn't comprehend. It was full of untold things, and difficult events and feelings that he couldn't portray as the ruler he was.</p><p>"It isn't when it's the same thing every day. I want to....be able to see things that are different from me. To learn about things beyond just the soil...These things you just told me, they all mean...something beyond me that I want to understand."</p><p>Aoi had a glimmer of hope in his eyes, seeing that Uruha was listening. Maybe his dreams weren't for naught. Uruha understood how he felt.<br/>"You're the same way too, right? you want..to see the living..and...here I am..wanting to see what happens..beyond that."</p><p>Aoi’s words had an uncharacteristic firmness to his usually easy-going character.</p><p>It was that moment, beneath where the twinkle of stars couldn't be seen that Uruha found his heart beating again, despite dying so long ago.</p><p> </p><p>-----------</p><p>Uruha and Aoi became fast friends. Aoi was running to his cave every night, and Uruha became his informal teacher.<br/><br/>Somehow, despite having memorised much of what appeared in the pages, teaching them brought new life to dead information. Uruha tried to break down complicated academic content, sometimes using the analogies they were both familiar with. In exchange,<br/><br/>Aoi would bring and teach Uruha flowers and plants, teaching him the various crops and what would help them grow.</p><p>Somehow, ancient information became living and fresh, and Uruha's study was no longer filled with just dusty books and empty glass jars, but instead, there was evidence of lovely flowers being brought down to his study.<br/><br/>Of course, being the realm of the dead they wilted quickly, but Uruha was content to see the evidence of Aoi's presence in his world, even if that evidence presented itself in the form of decaying plants.<br/><br/>But they also reminded him that Aoi didn't belong here, and neither did he belong above.<br/><br/>Whenever Aoi had to return home, the smell of flowers and the sound of his tinkling laughter would leave him too. Uruha often did not touch the plants directly, because he knew that the death he carried would hasten their already quick demise.<br/><br/>There was grief every time Uruha watched Aoi leave his realm, loneliness that he hadn't felt in ages, because Aoi gave him company and warmth.</p><p>Feeling alive, despite not being so, hurt.</p><p>Aoi, too, found it harder and harder to concentrate at work. Ceres attributed it to him simply being lazy and obviously not putting his heart into his life’s purpose again, but the truth was that Aoi longed to see Uruha, to learn, and speak with the Underworld’s ruler.</p><p>Whatever he would do in the day would go towards benefitting his teachings to Uruha, but it was slowly, but surely beginning to not simply being a friendship based on the exchange of information.<br/><br/>Aoi felt that he was starting to care for the Underworld's Lord, and the realisation came as he realised he wanted, and craved to show Uruha more than just what he knew about plants.<br/><br/>Aoi wanted to hold Uruha, and he wanted to spend all his time underneath the ground. Yes, he loved the mysterious knowledge Uruha imparted, but he wanted to know more about the Underworld’s Lord himself.</p><p><br/>The several hours they spent each night was rapidly becoming inadequate. </p><p>Such feelings led to one night, when Aoi unexpectedly burst into tears when Uruha noticed that it was getting late, and said they should wrap up for the day. </p><p>Uruha immediately checked on the younger man, but sensed no injury. But Aoi was feeling upset, and he couldn't find the cause...</p><p>"What's wrong?" He said, gently. </p><p>Aoi shook his head. "It's..it's just that..I really enjoy this..but..it's not enough for me.."</p><p>"Is there something I’m missing out from my teachings? We can move on to another topic tomorrow, Aoi."</p><p>"It's not that, Lord Uruha...it's...I just want to spend time with you. I just want to be with you..and hear you speak and tell me these stories and subjects I never knew...I.."</p><p>Aoi couldn't comprehend what he was feeling. Why was he crying? Wasn’t it enough that Uruha was befriending him like this?</p><p>But a word ghosted over his lips, and he looked at Uruha with pleading eyes, finding a word to his feelings that bloomed in his chest.</p><p>"...Lord Uruha, I love you."</p><p> </p><p>Uruha drew himself back, hearing something that he never thought he would hear, or deserved to hear. Love? What?</p><p>The last time someone told Uruha that they loved him, was because they had to leave.</p><p>Uruha frowned, and Aoi lunged himself forward to embrace the older man.</p><p>".......Aoi..." his voice was full of his care and warmth. But firm.</p><p>"We can't. Remember, if you con-"</p><p>"Consume or eat or drink anything. Yes. I know. But..I don't want to go back alone anymore. I don’t want to just sow crops and wait to see you. I want to be with you, Lord Uruha. I want to always be by your side."</p><p>Uruha felt conflicted. Aoi did not belong here. He could not. Aoi was a fine son of the harvest, the living world. Uruha was a remnant of an obsolete man, and governed the dead.<br/><br/>And Aoi, who is dangerously close to Uruha, was in danger of sealing himself here in the Underworld should he kiss Uruha...</p><p>But the Lord of the Underworld was faltering too. Surely the eternity of his work was destroying every last resolve he had...every last thing that held him back from a joy that he never thought he would find in this time.<br/><br/>He grasped onto the white silk that he was dressed in, broken that Aoi was professing love for an impossible being.</p><p>Uruha wanted to be with him too.</p><p>The two threw caution against the wind, and they kissed, right in this stuffy study that seemed to be their safe place, and was the only world they knew then. Aoi’s lips were warm, wet and so alive.<br/><br/>Uruha could feel it. Aoi was breathing life into him, and the Underworld’s ruler could feel his grey body warm itself, as if it still had blood, a soul. </p><p>Aoi smiled, pulling back. He cupped Uruha’s face and stared into him. “You’re so beautiful, Lord Uruha.” Aoi beamed.<br/><br/></p><p>No. You don’t know how much more beautiful you are.<br/><br/>Their kisses became more warmer and desperate, a desire rising between both of them.<br/><br/></p><p>Aoi was feeling a warmth between his legs he had never experienced before, at least not with this intensity.<br/><br/>He felt Uruha’s cold hands undoing his clothes, rubbing his hands on the sides of Aoi’s lithe body. Uruha’s lips searched and suckled, a passion that shot through their bodies like liquid fire.<br/><br/>Aoi too reached for Uruha’s chest, his warm hands then gently reaching Uruha’s back, tracing shapes as Uruha reached out to Aoi’s length, stroking gently and firmly.</p><p> </p><p>Aoi mewled, as Uruha easily found what felt good to him, brushing his thumb right under the head of the younger man’s length.</p><p><br/><br/>“I’ve dreamt about this.” Aoi whispered, moaning as he too reached for Uruha’s cock.</p><p><br/>He tried to stroke Uruha as pleasurably as he could, though the sensations he felt from the older man touching him and kissing him made it difficult. Uruha also felt so big, almost too big for his hands, and it felt so warm to his touches.</p><p>Was Uruha growing hot to Aoi’s administrations? Or had Aoi given him a second life, allowing his body to become warm and alive again?</p><p><br/>“P-please...take..take me.” Aoi begged softly.</p><p>He could feel his own cock throbbing painfully, desperate for Uruha to take him with everything he had.<br/><br/>Gently, Uruha lifted Aoi onto the desk. Aoi was pretty much in a daze of pleasure, allowing Uruha to do as he pleased. The younger man didn’t notice where Uruha had managed to get the cool liquid that he used on his entrance, but that didn’t matter. Aoi spread his legs for Uruha, allowing the older man to prepare him gently.<br/><br/>Despite it being forever since he was last intimate with someone, Uruha remembered how to please and pleasure. He knew that it could hurt, and he was not going to injure him or ruin this sacred moment. </p><p>Uruha felt conscious about himself. Was he truly desired by the younger man? Was he deserving of this? Uruha tried to push those thoughts aside. Only Aoi matters, and only his embrace matters now.</p><p>Aoi was panting lightly, his skin pink, flushed and so <em> alive </em> . Brushing his fingers against his own nipples, Aoi let out a gentle moan, as Uruha pushed and found the spot that made Aoi jolt, his cock leaking and twitching to the older man’s administrations.<br/><br/></p><p>Uruha hadn’t felt hunger like this in a long time.<br/><br/></p><p>“N-now...please.” Aoi muttered. He was ready.</p><p> </p><p>Uruha plunged himself in, pushing deeply into Aoi, who was tight, warm. He was struggling with Uruha’s size a little, and Uruha fought to not take Aoi roughly. A few slow thrusts, and Aoi signaled to Uruha to move faster, holding Uruha close, kissing his strong jaw.<br/><br/>Thud. Thud. Thud. Uruha bucked his hips, and Aoi was feeling both pleasure and pain, an ecstasy beyond anything he had ever felt. Intense pleasure shot up his spine as Uruha’s cock plundered into him, responding to his moans, his body, him.</p><p>Aoi’s heart was beating so fast. His hands cupped Uruha’s face, his gasps and mewls, moans and whines spurring Uruha on.<br/><br/>“Lord...Uruha…you feel so good...so...big...so..warm...” he called out, pulling Uruha closer to kiss him as he thrust into him against the desk, his legs wrapped around Uruha as he clung onto the older man. </p><p>Aoi’s cock jolted as he hit a sweet spot, precum rushing out of his swollen length. It wanted release, Aoi could feel his body drawing up, and he felt Uruha’s hand reaching to stroke him, pressing along the veins and thumbing the slit on the head of his cock.<br/><br/>“I-I can’t...Lord..Uruha..I’m…!”</p><p>Aoi held onto Uruha for dear life, as he came undone, first in gasps and murmurs, then a sharp cry, and repeated chants of Uruha’s name, warm cum spurting wetly over Uruha’s hand.</p><p>Uruha grunted, and let go within him, thrusting and thrusting until there was no more of his seed left to give. Uruha panted out Aoi’s name, running his fingers through his hair, which smelled faintly of their sweat, fluids and lavender flowers.<br/><br/>The study had never felt more sacred to Uruha.<br/><br/></p><p>-----------<br/><br/></p><p>The Underworld’s ruler felt that he messed up.<br/><br/>Aoi had consumed him. Or rather Uruha had. Their intimate encounter was as good as Aoi sealing his fate in the Underworld.<br/><br/>Uruha moved through the haze of pleasure, and was already beginning to feel panic. Ceres was going to be mad, and if he found a way to remove Aoi from his life, she would do so in haste, stealing the last light Uruha had in his life, forever.<br/><br/></p><p>Uruha’s voice was shaking. “Aoi...we..”<br/><br/>But Aoi had a coy smile. </p><p><br/>“Lord Uruha...I ate six pomegranate seeds tonight. Before we met.”<br/><br/>Uruha’s eyes widened. Aoi had broken the rules for him. Somehow, Aoi felt so strongly for the Underworld’s ruler, that he would willingly seal himself to this realm, just for him?</p><p>There was a moment of confusion, but it was then Uruha realised how much he meant to this beautiful man.</p><p>Aoi was calm. He kissed the older man on the lips again, sighing happily. Uruha could have been made of stone, but he always came alive with Aoi’s lips on his. <br/><br/>“I love you so much...and I couldn’t help myself. I want to be here with you. My mum can’t blame you like this. I chose to be here.”</p><p>Uruha let out a soft sigh, and embraced the younger man. So be it.<br/><br/>“Aoi, my light…”<br/><br/>“I love you too.”</p><p>-----------</p><p><br/>Ceres, obviously flew into a rage when she found out, cursing Uruha, for taking away his lovely son. But Aoi stood firm that it was not Uruha’s fault. </p><p>Of course, Aoi wanted to see Uruha badly. But his mother would revolt and stop tending to the crops and the fields whenever Aoi was not around, and it caused great calamity to the people. Aoi was deeply in love, but at the same time he was deeply worried for the people.</p><p>Having eaten the six seeds, it was then determined that the younger man would now stay with Uruha for six months of the year, and the other six months, he would have to return to the ground to be with Ceres. In this way, Aoi could be with both his mother and lover.</p><p>Uruha consoled Aoi, and told him that six months would quickly pass each time, for they were immortal beings.<br/><br/>Aoi took full responsibility and every time he went up to the ground, he ensured a plentiful and bountiful harvest, and he would count the days until he could rejoin Uruha, at his throne.<br/><br/>Uruha used to be darker than night. But with Aoi by his side, the Underworld just seemed a little less dreary.<br/><br/>Several passing souls, who attested that they were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the lovers, said that they almost see the Elysian fields in their eyes. </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote the beginning few paragraphs of this in 2018. I had originally another idea for the challenge which I scrapped, but then I found this and fleshed it out. I’m honestly not very confident of my writing, please forgive me if my writing/grammar is still jarring or weird in places...especially the sex scene @_@.</p><p>It’s definitely by no means perfect, but I’m glad I got this out of my system. It has been cathartic in this time.</p><p>Edit: May 27: I'm so happy to hear nice feedback from everyone.</p><p> I'm starting to think about whether I should make another chapter of this if people do enjoy my ramblings. </p><p>Thank you for you're reading, if it makes you happy I'm happy!</p><p>I hope your day/night will be as peaceful and happy as Aoi feels when he's with Uruha &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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